R sbc
Date: 2/6/2005
Series: “Christ The Sum & Substance of The Bible”
Sermon # 30
Subject: “ Christ In The Midst of his Church”
Text: John 20:19-31
Intro: The facts of the word of God concerning the habitation of Christ in his churches is taught through out the Bible. We begin by showing a few things about this from various Bible text:
(1.) We have his promise: Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
(2.) We have the practice of it in our text: “Stood in the midst of them” ..vs 19
(3.) We have a stated fact from the Old Testament prophecy:
Hebrews 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
(4.) The vision of him in the midst of his churches:
Revelation 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
(5.) The promise of his presence is condition on obedience of a church:
Matt 28:16-20
I have strived to preach Christ in this series as being the sum and substance, he is indeed that to the Church likewise. He is the focal point of this service, we sing about him, we pray to him, we give to him, and we preach about him. We present him as the only saviour the only truth, the only way to the Father, he is everything to everyone of us this morning.
In our text today we shall see this wonderful truth manifested to his disciples which was the Church at that time. What way do we see Christ in the midst of his church and what is the benefits of him being here and at this place many years ago?
I... “ THAT HE HAS A MESSAGE FOR THEM”..VS 19 “ Peace be unto you”
There nothing more clearer than the troubled hearts of this men. These people who were the foundation of the church and Christ the corner stone and the head. Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; vs 21 “ In whom all the building fitly framed together Groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord. Vs 22 “ In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
This wonderful peace of God that passes all understanding was what he intended to convey to this troubled disciples. If you remember he said in John 14:1-2 Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe in God believe also in me. For in my Fathers house are many mansion if it were not so I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you.
This wonderful peace is to rule our hearts not fear and doubt and thousand other things that seem to cloud our minds and thinking this day and time: Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
II... CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF THE CHURCH COMFORTS AND ASSURES US: VS 20
The hands that had felt the nails as they were driven into them, the side that felt the sharp sword as they drove it into him and out came blood and water as it pierced the cardiac sack around the heart.
He shows it to them and look at their reaction to it!
Gladness... The word glad means to “be overjoyed”. Now they have seen him and now they believe what he said to them. All of God’s saints need to be encouraged in the LORD, all of God’s men need to be encouraged in the LORD and in his work.
We should be glad when we think about what the LORD has done for us and to us and will yet do more, listen to the word of God..
1 Kings 8:66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
1st. The Lord is the God of all comfort and assurance:
2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2nd. The word of the Lord is our immediate source for comfort:
David said in “Psalms 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
He assured them:
(1.) By revealing to them who he was:
(2.) By revealing to them what had happened to him:
III... “ CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF HIS CHURCHES DECLARES OUR PURPOSE FOR EXISTING: ..VS 21
There is no question that we have a duty as a church. We do not exist merely to comfort ourselves, to be entertained, to be made to feel good. We have a job to do. It is spreading the gospel to others.
1st. Note his authority: “ As my Father hath sent me”
We know but we must be reminded that God sent his son for a purpose: Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
2nd. Not his command: “ even so send I you”.
It is so clear that the LORD did not send them out without empowering them with the Holy Spirit. Vs 22 “breathed on them” This is used only one more time in the Bible, it is in the book of
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
It was used by Joshua and one of the Kings but only twice in the sense it is used in our text, God on Adam and Christ on his church.
The cental message of the gospel is about our sins, that is they are forgiven. This verse that is vs 23 is not saying that they had the power of saying whose sins were to be remitted and whose were not. So what is meant by this verse?
JFB says of this verse these words:
In any literal and authoritative sense this power was never exercised by one of the apostles, and plainly was never understood by themselves as possessed by them or conveyed to them. (See JFB on "Mt 16:19"). The power to intrude upon the relation between men and God cannot have been given by Christ to His ministers in any but a ministerial or declarative sense—as the authorized interpreters of His word, while in the actings of His ministers, the real nature of the power committed to them is seen in the exercise of church discipline.
III. CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF THE CHURCH BRINGS ABOUT A REAL UNDERSTANDING TO THE APOSTLES: VS 24-25
Thomas missed that appearance that day, and there is something to be said for those who miss church that is what you miss.
(1.) You miss the presence of the LORD: vs 25 “ We have seen the Lord”
(2.) You miss the blessing of his word:
(3.) You miss the much needed fellowship of the brethren:
We should without a doubt make every effort to be in the house of GOD. Not make excuses why we can’t come to church, there will come a day when you will wish you could go and you may not be able to come.
It is in the house of the Lord his glory is displayed: 2 Chronicles 7:2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD‘S house.
(4.) When you miss doubt arises in your heart: vs 25
IV... CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF THE CHURCH A SECOND TIME AFTER HIS RESURRECTION TO ASSURE THOMAS AND OTHERS: VS 26-29
Note that it is the same message as the first one, “peace be unto you” still plagued by doubt and unsettled in their hearts as to what all this meant. Our Lord comes again into their presence.
1st. His personal word..vs 27
2nd. Thomas’s humble confession..vs 28
3rd. Christ great proclamation..vs 29
IV... “ CHRIST CONTINUES TO MEET WITH THEM”..VS 30-31
What a great conclusion to a great event...
1st. The truth he assures us of...vs 30
John 21-25
2nd. The clear revelation he shows..vs 31
Our faith is built on the word of the LORD and that alone can produce faith in us as we journey through this life till we meet the Lord, till we see him who is invisible, till we see him who is the author and the finisher of our faith....
May the Lord save all who seek him this morning and all whom he seeks...